Pier-jumping ban is dead in the water

Commissioner: Without St. Joseph's support, measure would fail.

Commissioner: Without St. Joseph's support, measure would fail.

July 11, 2008|CAROL DRAEGER Tribune Staff Writer

ST. JOSEPH -- Berrien County's attempt to ban pier- jumping on Lake Michigan beaches in St. Joseph and New Buffalo is dead in the water. On Thursday Berrien County Board of Commissioners chairman Dick Bartz said the county won't vote on the proposal. "Without St. Joseph's cooperation, we couldn't move ahead with an ordinance," Bartz said. During a packed public hearing two weeks ago, St. Joseph city and police officials made it loud and clear that they didn't support the measure. St. Joseph city Police Chief Mark Clapp said at the meeting and again in an interview with The Tribune on Thursday that the ordinance isn't enforceable. "In order to stop people from jumping off the piers, we'd have to put someone on each of the piers 24 hours a day 365 days of the year," he said. "It's simply not possible for us to do that," he added. He also pointed out that of the 33 drownings in the last 25 years at Silver Beach and other county beaches, 20 occurred away from piers. "The vast majority of drownings have nothing to do with pier jumping," he said. "If you want to attack the problem of drownings in Lake Michigan pier-jumping won't do it," Clapp said. The ordinance would have made it a $250 civil offense (similar to a speeding ticket) to jump off piers in St. Joseph and off the breakwater barriers in New Buffalo. While most people at the public hearing opposed the ban, some favored it. South Haven Mayor Dorothy Appleyard supports the county's ban. She said it would send a critical message to tourists that jumping off piers into rough Lake Michigan waters is dangerous. South Haven recently adopted a similar ban on its Lake Michigan beaches. Clapp pointed out that the piers are owned by the federal government, which already prohibits pier jumping, although the rule is loosely enforced by the U.S. Coast Guard. The city of St. Joseph, he said, cannot enforce the federal ban. He said the city is exploring teaming up with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers to post a sign at the piers saying it's against the law to jump off a pier. Bartz said when the county began exploring an ordinance to ban pier jumping, county officials who were members of a pier safety committee believed St. Joseph officials were on board. He said he was "surprised" by their opposition.Staff writer Carol Draeger: cdraeger@sbtinfo.com (269) 687-7005